Something to consider.....

Good points both of you... But I tend to agree that enforcing the rule
of law wont be as hard as one thinks. Case in point The British Empire
kept its colonies in check mostly in the days of wood wind and sail.
No quick air travel no steam powered ships at least not till the 1800
there abouts but still even than steam powered ship trip to the far
east be months at the very least.. So how do you stay in control?
Simple same way governments always have simply set up a government up
in space with its own law enforcement and Bureaucracy. and doesnt have
to be on every space station or Habitat, Just couple of errr ummmm
space Marshals or what ever one like to call them.. The governor could
have their own government space station in reasonable distance from
colonies of its host country.. Keeping control will be some what easy
for a while at least, It was couple hundred years before a colony in
the new world started rebelling. Case in point colonist feel little
safer with some kind of connection with their host country..
But yes at some point in time spacers will want to have their own
government and their own system of law and so on... but that may never
happen Canada didnt rebel but the U.S. did so theres no real way to
tell what will happen there...

I like both points, A very astute observation of politics today and a
good counter point to the control and governing of space colonies..

But heres the thing I have issue with..."why
would any government choose to allow large portions of
its population to live in a place that is essentially
out of the reach of that government?"
Out of reach of that government? ummm if you havent noticed
governments are the only ones getting to space on a regular bases.
Why would government allow large portions of its population to go in
space? I think we answered well enough they wouldnt be out of reach of
their governments, But one can answer that question with another...
Why did they allow it hundreds of years ago? Or why do countries let
large numbers of their own people die in a world war...The answer we
get from this is because theres something to be gained... What ever
that maybe... Be it world domination, freedom, or something in between
Theres something to be gained by allowing people go into space. Money
and wealth being the big and greatest of all reason There stands to be
great deal of money that could be made from space and colonizing space
is a quick way to make it pay off sooner. no need to pay for a return
trip for people which cast more to move than say a 100 tons of gold
that does not need to breath or eat...But we get ahead of ourselves
here. We have to get to space first....
A side point, Governments may not care so much about control and human
cost if theres great deal of money coming in and yes there maybe some
places in space that are un-govern.. A little be of a return to the
wild west and like the wild west people in power most likely wont care
if everyone is marching in step.. As long as space is getting settled
and the money is flowing in....

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Dan Wylie-Sears" wrote: